Community play park created at Polbathic pub

The Halfway House pub in Polbathic has opened a new play park in the garden for local children and families with support from Pub is The Hub, the rural pub champions.

The Polbathic Community Play Park is the brainchild of the pub’s landlords, Russ Matterson and Jessica Stanton who have worked on the project in partnership with St German’s Primary School, St German’s Youth Group, parents and local volunteers to create a safe, imaginative play area for local children.

Pub is The Hub has supported the project both with advice as well as a grant of £3,000 toward the overall cost from their Community Services Fund.

Local children have helped to create, design and construct the area and added the finishing touches to the area accessed by a separate gate at the rear of the Halfway House pub by adding their handprints to the sign.

The play area consists of several play zones including:

The Crow’s Nest – a purpose built outdoor platform built around a tree with a slide, climbing wall, pull up ramp and net climber;

a ‘Wigwam-ery’;

Mud Pub and Kitchen;

‘Pirates of Polbathic Hideout’ in three boats donated to the project;

A play house donated to the project;

And a series of areas to encourage wildlife, including a bug hotel, hedgehog café and toad abode.

St German’s Youth Group added pots, pans and utensils that they have collected for the Mud Pub and Kitchen where children will be able to make mud ‘dishes of the day’ with mud, leaves and sticks.

Jessica Stanton said: “Putting Polbathic’s long list of attributes to one side, there is one glaring hole – there are no facilities here for children and families. Pub is The Hub have already been incredibly supportive to us in helping us to install a micro library at the pub in 2015 so when we went back to them this year to talk about the play area, they were just as helpful.

“We hope this will inspire and build confidence in the children that have been involved to see their designs come to life and create a fun and imaginative space to play.”

Reg Clarke, the advisor for Pub is The Hub in the South West added: “Jessica and Russ never stand still – they are always thinking what they can do next with their community-based business and this play park is one of the best I have seen. It has been a wonderful collaborative project and I know that local children and families will really feel the benefit.”